New Vieja Argentea

[anzo1993]

Hello, I recently picked up a 2inch Vieja argentea, seems to be in good health and eats like a champ, wondering what to expect growth rate wise? Living in a 180 gallon tank with a 2 inch albino oscar, and a 4 inch occeleris peacock bass

 

[duanes]

Argentea are one of my favorite cichlids, I've had them twice.
Took about a year for males to go from 1" juvies to 8-10 " for an alpha male, females less.
If you have a female, they are usually fairly mild mannered.
If you have an alpha male, at about 8-10" you should anticipate your oscar, or any other cichlid to become hamburger.
Females have more pointed profile, sometimes more black markings, and longer fin trailers.
Males more boxy profile, and less dark.
Here is a male I had to give its own tank at @ 9".

female below, smaller.

 

[anzo1993]

Argentea are one of my favorite cichlids, I've had them twice.
Took about a year for males to go from 1" juvies to 8-10 " for an alpha male, females less.
If you have a female, they are usually fairly mild mannered.
If you have an alpha male, at about 8-10" you should anticipate your oscar, or any other cichlid to become hamburger.
Females have more pointed profile, sometimes more black markings, and longer fin trailers.
Males more boxy profile, and less dark.
Here is a male I had to give its own tank at @ 9".

female below, smaller.

Thanks for the response I'll keep an eye on the aggression level, so far the oscar is the boss if the tank

 

[jackthefishmaster]

0.5'' per month

 

[anzo1993]

So this vieja is turning into a little monster, he or she is showing aggression towards everyone in the tank but nothing too serious yet, and at only the 3 inch mark, hoping the oscar and peacock bass have a big growth spurt so theres a bigger size difference between them , I fear if the vieja gets too close in size he'll kill them both, onot other tank I have for the vieja is a spare 55 if things dont work out lol

 

[duanes]

This is not surprising to me, I had that problem in a 150 gal where my alpha eased into butchering any other tank mates, including a managuense and dovii.
Oscars are way too mild mannered and wimpy, and no match for an argentea.
These fish are loners that come from mostly swift flowing rivers.
A stronger flow might help to temper aggression, but the flow strength enough to distract the Maskaheros, would probably be too much for the oscar.
I believe your best alternative is to get the argentea's its own tank.

 

[anzo1993]

This is not surprising to me, I had that problem in a 150 gal where my alpha eased into butchering any other tank mates, including a managuense and dovii.
Oscars are way too mild mannered and wimpy, and no match for an argentea.
These fish are loners that come from mostly swift flowing rivers.
A stronger flow might help to temper aggression, but the flow strength enough to distract the Maskaheros, would probably be too much for the oscar.
I believe your best alternative is to get the argentea's its own tank.

Yeah I agree I can move some fish around and free up a 75 gallon, do you think that will be good for the next 2 years or so at least?

 

[duanes]

Yeah I agree I can move some fish around and free up a 75 gallon, do you think that will be good for the next 2 years or so at least?

Its small enough at the moment, so as a single fish should work.

 

[anzo1993]

Its small enough at the moment, so as a single fish should work.

Okay thanks for the advice, hopefully it all goes well but ill be prepared to give him or her a 75 all alone

 

[anzo1993]

So he ended up going into the 75 early lol a couple days of feeding I noticed the peacock bass taking pellets very hesitantly and had a few marks on him so when I was watching I saw the argentea strike the peacock bass several times until he was forced into the bottom corner ( also the peacock bass is almost double the size at 5.5 inches) anyways the vieja adjusted well to the 75 already swimming confidently lol I don't think I'll try vieja argentea in a community ever again lol